Bib Shaped Bandage

ABSTRACT

A bandage intended for use on digits; i.e. fingers and toes, to cover injuries to knuckle or joint pad areas on the hand or foot. The bandage is configured as a pad with an angled loop, the loop meant to surround the base of a digit in order to resist motions that might peel the bandage off the skin. The pad may contain medicines suitable for treating a wound or injury, may be radio opaque, may contain a reinforced surface to prevent compression or skin friction at the site, or other ancillary devices. The loop is deformable in length in order to fit different digits and wound locations.

BACKGROUND

This disclosure describes the integration of the necessary components of a previous disclosure (US2020-0008983) into a more compact and more easily applied bandage. The previous disclosure was shaped roughly like a 2 bladed paddle. In the previous disclosure the bandage surfaces touching the wound area were on two separate ends and could have unique materials and area distributions. This feature allowed a variety of overlays and configurations. It also required some dexterity to place the bandage pad, hold it in place while adjusting loop length and then applying the overwrap portion.

This disclosure combines the previous two separate ends into one and describes the bandage types that are claimed as novel ideas within that constraint. The bandage area (pad) now has two external surfaces reduced from previous four (the two on each end.) These are now called the bottom side pad skin-facing and the top side pad outer-facing surfaces. Additional Layers may be added as needed, e.g. as a stiffener or tear-resistant layer.

The previous disclosure made use of a digit or body part beyond a flexing joint as an adjustable anchoring point against peel and creep failures in the bandage adhesive. The anchoring digit loop material was selected to be strong, comfortable, stretchable and permanently deformable. This use is maintained in the present disclosure.

Previous Art—The main feature demonstrating novelty in this and the aforementioned disclosure is the use of a digit as an anchor point for the bandage described. The only disclosure found that mentions the purposeful use of digits is US003971374, and there digits are used in total for a palm bandage and as adhesive strings, which unwind and fail, rather than as continuous loops, as this disclosure presents. No other bandage was found to have the use of a single digit as an anchor point. All other disclosures, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,248,932 and 2,748,766 wrapped bandage arms around digits for anchors, but what can be wrapped can be unwrapped. This disclosure described an adjustable continuous loop as an anchor arm.

SUMMARY

In this disclosure the basic shape of a bandage (similar to a bib), a flat area with a thin angled strap, is described. The basic bandage shape consists of the bandage pad and a stretchable, permanently deformable loop. The loop is not elastic, but rather deformable like the 6 pack beverage loops (low density polyethylene) that remains at the length it was stretched. No rebound, no length shrinking. For the rest of this document, this characteristic shall be abbreviated as ‘deformable.’ The loop connects to the bottom end of the bandage pad and is made thin for digit comfort and conformability. A dressing may be added in the central area. Layers between the inner and outer layers may be added for purpose and a sterile pad cover and handling tab may be added over the inner layer.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings depict several views of an embodiment of the disclosed bandage. Together with the detailed description, these drawings will explain the various parts and functions of the disclosure. Refer to the following drawings to understand the applications, features and use of this bandage.

FIG. 1 is an oblique view of an exemplary bandage in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a top-side view of an exemplary bandage in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a side view of an exemplary bandage in accordance with the present disclosure; and

FIG. 4 is bottom-side view of an exemplary bandage in accordance with the present disclosure.

Various modifications and adaptations of the exemplary bandage described here are possible and expected, yet the fundamental embodiment of the disclosure will be depicted in the drawings and described here in detail. Modifications, additions and adaptations to this disclosure will be described in the submitted claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This disclosure collects the advantages of the previously mentioned disclosure while removing the awkwardness of its suggested application and use; namely holding the sterile bandage surface over an open wound while adjusting the digit loop length such that the adhesive over-pad surface adheres to the intended spot. This disclosure removes that awkwardness by pre-forming the loop into its final shape; namely, a rounded oval tab with a thin, angled, deformable loop for a digit anchor. The bandage disclosed may be made of any currently available materials suitable for this desired use; to be water or tear resistant, water proof, breathable, radio-opaque, pharmaceutically active, etc. in any utilized layers. This disclosure concentrates on the shape and utility of this bandage due to the use of a single digit as anchor rather than any claim to unique materials or processing.

FIG. 1 is an oblique view of an exemplary bandage in accordance with the present disclosure. A top side pad 1 of the bandage and a digit loop 4 are visible. The loop 4 is angled with respect to the plane of the top side pad 1 and blended into the junction with top side pad 1 rather than an abrupt edge which may be a stress riser or abrasion point. The phantom lines of the loop 4 into the top side pad 1 suggest the loop 4 may need to be extended into the top side pad 1 material for loop strength, or the loop may be terminates at the edge of the top side pad 1 material.

FIG. 2 depicts the exemplary bandage and the default smooth shape of the top side pad 1. The pad is shaped to both cover a wound, create a smooth circumference around a digit and to meet the two edges of the digit loop 4. The same phantom lines of extended digit loop 4 are shown. Since the sterile portion of the bandage (bottom side pad 2) is directly below the top side pad land is identical or less in area, the shape and area of the top side of the bandage defines the shape for the entire bandage pad.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the exemplary bandage with the digit loop 4 and the top side pad 1, specifically showing the angling between the two parts, in accommodation of typical body shapes near digits. The phantom digit loop 4 lines are drawn for clarity and perspective.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the exemplary bandage, showing the orientation of the digit loop 4, the bottom side pad 2, the temporary sterile pad cover 3 and any added area between the bottom surface areas of the top side pad 1 and the bottom side pad 2. Bottom side 2 must contain the medicinal bandage area (if any) and the adhesive perimeter for the bandage. The phantom lines of the digit loop 4 have been omitted for clarity.

The first embodiment is an anti-abrasion/grip/blister pad—used to lessen the effects of friction and rubbing. The top side pad 1 surface is scuff and tear resistant, the bottom side pad 2 surface is adhesive conformal and the digit loop 4 is a thin, deformable anchoring member.

The second embodiment is the traditional bandage, meant to cover, protect and help heal a wound. The top side pad 1 surface comprises suitable materials for the particular bandage and its features, the bottom side pad 2 surface of the bandage pad by necessity consists of at least two areas—an inner dressing area for the actual bandage material(s) and a perimeter adhesive circumference to seal and adhere the bottom side pad 2 surface to the skin. For any size bandage pad, the choice of side 2 materials and area are a balance between wound-covering material and sufficient adhesive(s). The digit loop 4 is a thin and narrow, deformable anchoring member.

The third embodiment emphasizes the structure, shape and adhesion of a reinforced, three-dimensional shield. In this embodiment, the shape of the bandage may vary and portions of all surfaces: the top side pad 1, the bottom side pad 2 and the digit loop 4 may contain unique qualities such as conformal and thermal shaping, shape memory, perforations, and optical patterns, medical components, antennas, sensors or x-ray/ultrasound/RFID components. The same loop is again used.

These and other embodiments require the same actions for use: a bandage of approximate digit loop size (the length from site, around digit, back to site) and sufficient pad surface area is placed over the digit, release layer still in place, to check where the dressing will touch. If over the wound, peel the release layer off and apply the bandage. If short, pull on the top of the bandage to stretch the loop enough to center the dressing over the intended wound site, then peel the release layer off and apply the bandage. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A bandage comprising: a pad having a contoured perimeter size, a top (outer) surface, an inner (skin) surface and a designated bottom end; a narrower material extending in a loop that connects across the bottom end of the pad; a sized protective release layer compatible with all materials used on the inner surface and intended to protect them until used; wherein the inner layer of the pad is configured to be adhered to a location on the skin and the loop portion is configured to wrap around a digit near that location.
 2. The bandage of claim 1, wherein the loop portion comprises a flexible, deformable material.
 3. The bandage of claim 1, wherein the loop portion is free of adhesive.
 4. The bandage of claim 3, further comprising a desired anti-friction or anti-compression component as the outer surface of the pad and an adhesive applied to the inner surface of the pad. is The bandage of claim 3, further comprising a dressing coupled to an area on the inner surface of the pad, wherein the remainder of the area on the inner surface of the pad comprises an adhesive.
 6. The bandage of claim 5 wherein the dressing includes an antibiotic, antiseptic or other medical component appropriate for application to the intended location.
 7. The bandage of claim 5, further comprising a diagnostic or sensor component embedded between or comprising either surface of the pad.
 8. The bandage of claim 5, further comprising a reinforced or structured top side pad surface.
 9. A method for applying a bandage to a person, the method comprising: inserting a digit into the loop such that the inner layer of the pad is over the intended location or the loop is stretched until the pad is over the intended location; removing any covering layer over the inner layer; apply the pad to the intended location such that the adhesive attaches to the skin. 